Successful Aging and Cognitive Aging - Essay Example

? Successful Aging Growing old is inevitable yet it is dreaded by many. This is because it is associated with incapa and frailhealth. This observation maybe true to some extent as life at old age is not marked by the same flexibility and energy that characterized younger days. All the same, there is need to point out that age does not necessarily commit one to a slow life. One can still be able to continue with their activities albeit under more comfortable and safer environments. This is confirmed by the fact that we have old people who still continue to vigorously discharge their duties as required by the offices they hold. An example of this is the former Republican presidential candidate John McCain who irrespective of age and a cumbersome career as an officer in the U.S. Navy and 5 years as a prisoner of war still managed to lead Arizona and spearhead a vigorous presidential campaign. This is just a representative of a larger population which epitomizes graceful ageing. From a personal perspective, successful aging is characterized by three main components. One is proper health which lowers the risk of disease and disability. The other component is high mental and physical capability. The last one is an active life. An active life is represented by ones ability to participate in day to day activities with a reasonable degree of ease. Additionally, successful ageing must be coupled by strong relationships at the family level and beyond. Achieving these components requires commitment to healthy living from the younger ages. Just like any other process, life requires proper input. Input in this case references the kind of diet one uses, the activities one participates in and the level of activity. These aspects mainly touch on physical aging, relationships and cognitive aging. Interview The interview highlighted in this section was of a 70 year old man. The interviewee has worked as a lawyer since age 25 and still continues to serve in his law firm. The enthusiasm for his job which he says was a family tradition has not died and even though he cannot perform at the same level as he used to in his formative years his contribution cannot be ignored. The rest of his legal staff relies on his experience and he never disappoints. Keeping with his old tradition, his normal day starts at 5 am. He does slight exercises and goes through the dailies. He leaves the house at 7 am and is always sure to be in the office by 8 am. He does not drive and has a chauffeur who has worked for him for the past 25 years. This suggests his choice not to drive to work has nothing to do with age but a personal preference. He has been marred since age 28. He has two sons and one daughter. His sons are aged 42 and 38 and the daughter is 32. He has 5 grandchildren, each son has two children and the daughter has one child. None of his children stay around but the grandchildren come visiting every school holiday and the whole family meets up during Christmas. He has no serious medical records and attends routine medical check ups. In his entre life, he has only been admitted to hospital once while in his mid thirties following a car accident. He suffered a fractured limb and jaw and once in a while the jaw causes him some level of discomfort. Review Cognitive aging is largely represented by aging brain which makes it difficult for the individual to recall information or make reliable decisions. Naturally, an individual’s brain shrinks as they age. This is because the brain gradually looses nerve cells which have been present since birth. The basic role of these cells is to process information. Their loss means a slower rate of processing information. The rate at which an individual loses his nerve cells is dependent on variant factors mostly bordering on lifestyle, environment, support groups and health. This means that at a given old age, different individuals will exhibit a different ability to store, process, and manipulate information. However, the trend would be the same as the capacity diminishes with age; the only difference will be the rate (Whitbourne et al 2011). The interviewee at age 70 shows an incredible awareness of the current events and seems to have a particularly sharp memory as he remembers cases, individuals and dates with ease. There is little in regard to cognitive ability that suggests his age as he remains an intellect and a great legal mind. Similar awareness is evident in other events such as remembering his wife’s birthday and other family events. Physical aging often comes with a number of physical challenges. The main challenges include, lose muscle mass and flexibly, thinner inelastic and wrinkled skin, and changes in vision and hearing. These physical challenges inevitably become evident; however, their onset can be informed by other factors besides age. Often, their extent and age at which they appear is also determined by health, lifestyle and environment. Aging people, who have had a keen eye on health, lead a balanced lifestyle and live in safe environments experience the aforementioned challenges later and the effects of the same are mild (Whitbourne et al 2011). This means they remain active for longer and their productive life is prolonged. The interviewee represents this group, at 70 these physical challenges are yet to kick in as his mobility, sight and muscles are still quite strong. The age can only be spelled on examination of his skin which has somehow lost its turgidity. In this regard, the interviewee represents successful aging. Lastly, a strong component of successful aging is a strong support group. This represents the social aspect of aging. One has to have the support of his family and friends who provide motivation and support during the upheavals of life and helps one through multiple challenges that typify life. Looking at the interviewee, having a strong family that has remained intact and children who continue to show concern has contributed to leading a quality life (Whitbourne et al 2011). Such support cannot be quantified and its effect in the old man’s life is unquestionable. Mostly, a healthy person with no social support will experience faster rate of aging as a result of solitude as well as lack of emotional attachment. In summary, it is evident that the challenges that come with aging can be controlled and a comfortable and satisfactory life led even at old age. However, this requires one to lead a proper lifestyle, a healthy life and surround himself with supportive individuals. These requirements represent what this study considers as components of successful aging. References Whitbourne, S. K., Whitbourne, S. B., & Whitbourne, S. K. (2011). Adult development and aging: Biopsychosocial perspectives. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Read More